Steve's Confession
by QuimbyCub
Summary: Post series finale. Steve comes clean about his dishonesty, but only because Claudia makes him! (Please critique, r&r.) [I-P, but only cause editing.]


After finishing up with their mission assignments, the teams broke into their groups to get to work. Claudia and Steve were the first ones out of the Warehouse. Steve held the umbilicus door open for Claudia which she thanked him for graciously. However, as Steve started to unlock his Prius he felt a tiny fist punch him in the arm. Hard.

"Ow! Geez, Claud!" He exclaimed, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"Oh, like you don't know," She got into the car but took the moment's pause to fix her partner with a glare. "Meddling."

"What..? Oh." Steve looked down. "That."

"Yes! That." Claudia huffed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Steve started the car quietly, both the vehicle and the driver. "I…I'm trying to help."

"Help?" Claudia half yelled. "Dude, how is fucking with Pete and Myka's relationship considered 'helping'?" Another glare.

"He does, you know? Love her." He offered appealingly. "So, I wasn't completely lying."

"You of all people?" She asked incredulously. "The Human Lie Detector thinks this is ok?"

"No. I'm not oblivious to it, but I think they could work together, they—"

"They do work together, dummy!" Claudia interjected. She could tell that her voice was doing that thing where it gets higher pitch as the volume increased. "That's why you shouldn't be futzing around with them, they need to be able to keep working together."

"I know that." Steven allowed his voice to raise too, they weren't truly angry with each other, just frustrated. "I just didn't want…"

"What?" The red head barked. "What did you want so badly it was worth messing with our friends?"

"I was trying to protect Myka."

"How..?"

Steve cleared his throat, "HG called for her a few days ago."

"Really?" Claudia lit up. "What did she want? What did Myka say?"

"I never told her." He sighed. An apology.

"Why not!" She yelled again, and again punctuated her words by smacking his arm.

"Hey! Driving!" He scolded, receiving a raised eyebrow from the passenger seat. "I think Myka would do better with Pete. That's all, okay?"

"But she doesn't love Pete." The young woman stated blankly. "HG. HG is the one Myka l—"

"I don't like HG." He grabbed the artifact file from Claudia to check the address. Cheyenne…It was gonna be a while.

Claudia's disapproving glare returned. "You don't even know HG."

"I know she broke Myka's heart. A few times. I didn't want her to have to go through that." He tried a weak smile.

"Since when—You know what?" She was tired of yelling. "How would Myka feel about you making that kinda decision for her? Since when is that our place?"

"It's not." He shook his head. "I just didn't want her to…"

"Yeah, I know." She allowed herself a frustrated huff. "Do you think pushing her into a relationship with Pete is gonna end well?"

He shook his head no.

"What was the plan? Keep those two together until HG moves on?" Claudia slowly wrapped her head around Steve's thinking. "She's a hundred and fifty, I think the woman's learned patience."

"Yeah, but what if—" He tried again.

"Hey, I care about Myka as much as you do, but she needs to be a big girl and make her own decisions." Her voice softened. "I almost lost her, too. And if you don't think she can handle herself, you're wrong."

"Yeah…" The agent sighed.

"And this is wrong, lying to her, making Pete get his hopes up…It's wrong." She watched his face for a glimmer of understanding. "And, yeah, maybe she and HG break each other's hearts, maybe HG just wanted to borrow a cup of sugar or something. Or maybe HG had an actual curiosity going on!"

"Curiosity?"

"It's a ping." She rolled her eyes. Figuring she had done her best, she sat up straighter in her seat. "Jinksy!" She summoned up her best Mrs Fredric voice. "I am caretaker now! This shit is my responsibility."

He smirked at her. "Oh no! How horrible!"

She stuck her tongue out at him, still able to be a kid with her partner, no matter what. Then she grew serious again. "You need to tell them when we get back, okay? Right away, or I'll do something about it." A hint of real threat laced her last sentence.

"You'll do something" He tried to joke. "What will you do, Claud?"

"I'm the damn caretaker," She laughed. "What won't I do?"


End file.
